Missouri Battalion Chief Commits Suicide Following Termination

Last week we covered the story of the Monarch Fire Protection District’s decision to fire four chief officers over their involvement in a sexual harassment suit. According to news reports the men were not personally involved in the harassment, but were accused of not doing enough to stop it.

Now comes word that one of the accused chiefs, Battalion Chief Fred Goodson, committed suicide three weeks after he was let go. Chief Goodson was found in the woods near his home yesterday with what police describe as a self-inflicted wound.

Chief Goodson, 61, had been with Monarch Fire Protection district for thirty-six years. News reports claim the four fired chiefs had been at odds with the firefighters union, and that contributed to the decision to terminate them.

More on the story.